Method and apparatus for distributing pesticide



March 1957 c. A. BRITTEN ETAL 2,784,521

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING PESTICIDE Filed Sept. 30. 1952 5Sheets-Sheet l s R o N E V N ADRIAN 5T. J. BOWIE CECH. I. BRITTON BY WATTORNE Y March 1957 c. A. BRITTEN ET AL 2,784,521

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING PESTICIDE Filed Sept. 30. 1952 5Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ADRIAN ST. J. BOWIE CECIL A. BRITTON BY My 5. kw -W.

ATTORNEY March 12, 195 c. A. BRITTEN ETAL 2,784,521

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING PESTICIDE Filed Sept. 30. 1952 5Sheets-sheet 3 6| 56 I INVENTORS ADRIAN sm. some 0501:. A. amrronATTORNEY Mam}! 1957 c. A. BRITTEN ET AL 2,784,521

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING PESTICIDE Filed Sept. 30. 1952 5Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS ADRIAN 51. J. BOVIIE CECIL A. am'rro a ATTORNEYMarch 1957 c. A. BRITTEN ETAL 2,734,521

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING PESTICIDE Filed Sept. 30. 1952 5Sheets-Sheet 5 F'IE !EI ATTORNEY United States Patent METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING PESTICIDE Cecil A. Britten and Adrian St. J.Bowie, San Jose, Calif., assignors to Food Machinery and ChemicalCorporation, San Jose, Calif., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationSeptember 30, 1952, Serial No. 312,312 12 Claims. (01. 43-148) Thepresent invention relates to a method and apparatus for distributingpesticide wherein pesticide in the form of a fine spray or dust isdensely entrained in an air blast for subsequent deposition on plants,such as trees, bushes, and the like.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved method ofdistributing pesticide to plants.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedpesticide distributing mechanism of the air blast type.

Another object is to provide an air blast type pesticide distributorhaving a novel air blast oscillating mechanism.

A further object is to provide a pesticide distributor that will depositpesticide evenly on all surfaces of a plant.

Another object is to provide a pesticide distributor of the air blasttype having a mechanism for intermittently creating a stagnant airregion within said air blast.

Still another object is to provide a pesticide distributor capable ofdirecting an oscillating, pesticide-containing air blast against trees,bushes and the like plants, in such a manner that densely growingbranches and foliage are separated and overlapping of leaf upon leaf andbranch upon branch during the application of pesticide to the plant isprevented.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome more apparent upon study of the following description anddrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view from the rear of an air blast sprayingmachine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view from the front of the machineshown in Fig. 1, showing on an enlarged scale, the actual air blastoscillating mechanism of the invention.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged rear elevational view of a portion of themechanism shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, front elevational view of a portionof the mechanism shown in Fig. 2, certain parts being shown in section.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective of a portion of the spraying machineviewed in substantially the same direction as Fig. 1.

Figs. 6 through 8 are diagrammatic, horizontal, sectional views of aportion of the spraying machine illustrating the path of the air blastdischarged therefrom at various phases in the operation thereof.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic rear elevation of the spray machineillustrating the sector-shaped air blast pattern emitted therefrom.

The present invention is herein disclosed in connection with a pesticidespraying machine 10 (Fig. l) which comprises a frame 11 mounted onrubber-tired wheels 12 (only one of which is shown) and having a tongue13 at its forward end by which the machine can be hitched to a tractor,not shown, to be drawn thereby between rows of plants, such as trees inan orchard.

An internal combustion engine 16, shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, ismounted in a compartment 17 at the forward 2,784,521 Patented Mar. 12,1957 'ice end of the machine 10, and a screened door 18 is provided inthe curved wall of the compartment to admit cooling and combustion airthereto and to allow for easy access to the engine. A liquid pesticidesupply tank 19 is mounted on the frame 11 behind the compartment 17,said tank having an inclined, open-ended tube (not shown) extendinglongitudinally therethrough to house a shaft 21 flexibly connectedbetween the drive shaft 22 of the engine 16 and the shaft 23 of an airblast creating, shaping and discharge mechanism 24 mounted at the rearof the frame 11.

The air blast mechanism 24 is similar to that shown and described in U.S. Patent No. 2,476,960 for a Spraying and Dusting Machine, granted toG. W. Daugherty on July 26, 1949, and generally comprises an axial flowpropeller 26 (Fig. 1) rigidly mounted on the shaft 23 at the open rearend of a hollow cylindrical housing 27. Rotation of the propeller 26generates a longitudinal, forwardly moving air blast within the housing27 which is directed radially thereof by a nested series of stationaryfrusto-conical deflectors 28 (only the outer trailing edge of which isshown) mounted at the forward end of said housing, said air blast beingdischarged at 29 in a sectorshaped pattern in a substantially verticalplane normal to the path of the spraying machine and extending upwardlyand outwardly from both sides of the machine in an are which extendsbetween the points 30, 30' as diagrammatically shown in Fig. 9.

Liquid pesticide may be fed to the sector-shaped air blast in anysuitable manner, for example, by outwardly directed spray nozzles 31provided in longitudinal pipes 32 that are arranged along thecircumference of the housing 27 equal angular distances apart and extendrearwardly over the air blast discharge region 29 from an arched headerpipe 33 mounted on the rear portion of the tank 19. Pesticidal liquidfrom the tank 19 is supplied under pressure to the header pipe 33 andthence to the nozzles 31 by a conventional liquid pump 34 through aflexible hose 36. in the present embodiment, the pump 34 is driven bythe engine 16 through a V-belt and pulley assembly 37 operativelyconnecting the engine drive shaft 22 with the pump shaft 38. As thepesticidal liquid is forced from the spray nozzles 31 it is broken intoa great number of extremely small particles which immediately becomeentrained in the air blast whereby there is formed a voluminous,sector-shaped, pesticidal fog ideally suited for the uniform coverage ofmost types of trees with pesticide.

Pesticide distributing apparatus of the air blast type, such as thespraying mechanism generally described above, are well known andunderstood by those in the art and hence further description thereof isunnecessary, the description so far given being sufficient for a generalcomprehension of the structure thereof. Pesticide distributors of thistype have generally proved highly efficient and are in extensive use,particularly in areas where large acrcages are under cultivation.However, this type of pesticide distributor has not been found soeffective in treating citrus and other trees having long, flexiblebranches and dense foliage, for example, orange and walnut trees, due tothe fact that their branches and foliage have a tendency to shingle" oroverlap under the action of a continuous radially-directed air blast,thus forming a barrier through which the pesticidal fog cannot penetrateso that complete coverage of the trees is not attained. The presentinventors have found that this shingling of the branches and foliage ofcitrus trees, and the like, may be prevented and the same may beindividually separated by rapidly oscillating an air blast discharged ina plane rising from the ground and extending transversely of thedirection of travel of the distributor, back and forth of said plane asthe distributor is drawn past the trees. In this manner, it is possibleto cover all surfaces of the trees with pesticide.

In accordance with the invention, therefore, air blast oscillating means41 and 42 (Fig. 2) are provided adjacent the region of air blastdischarge 29 of the machine to swing the air blast emanating therefromin a substantially vertically rising plane continuously fore and aft ofsaid spraying machine. Since the air blast oscillators 41 and 42 aresimilar in construction, arrangement and operation, only the oscillator41 situated at the right side of the spraying machine 10 will bespecifically described, and the parts of the oscillator 42 thatcorrespond to the described parts of the oscillator 41 will be indicatedin the drawings by identical numerals with a prime added.

The air blast oscillator 41 comprises two identical vanes 44 and 46 ofannular sector shape which are circumferentially arranged transverselyof the spraying mechanism intermediate of the air blast discharge region29. Said vanes are pivotally mounted upon brackets 48, 49 and 51 (Fig.2) and are drivingly connected at 52 for sympathetic fore and aftoscillation.

The bracket 48 is adjustably bolted to the right outer side of the frame11 (Figs. 1 and 2) and extends upwardly and outwardly therefrom, itsupper end being provided with a horizontal ledge 53 (Fig. 4) to which iswelded a face plate 54. The horizontal ledge 53 and face plate 54 arevertically bored to receive a cylindrical thrust hearing 56 which isretained in the bore by an upper end flange 57 formed integral to thelower inner end of the arcuate vane 44 and has a cylindrical pin 59welded to its inner edge. The pin 59 extends downwardly from the plate58 and has a reduced bottom portion 61 that engages the cylindricalthrust bearing 56. A shoulder 62 at the upper end of the reduced portion61 bears against the flange 57 of the thrust bearing 56 therebysupporting the lower end of the vane 44 for pivotal movement about theaxis of the pin 59.

The bracket 49 (Fig. 2) pivotally supports the upper end of the vane 44and the lower end of the vane 46. Said bracket 49 comprises an invertedU-shapcd member 66 having the free end of its legs 67 turned outwardlyto form feet 68. Securing slots 69 are formed in the feet 68 to allowsaid bracket 49 to be adjustably bolted to the cylindrical surface ofthe pesticide supply tank 19. An arm 71 is fastened to the bight of theU-member 66 and projects rearwardly therefrom over the air blastdischarge region 29 of the machine. Rigidly secured to the rear end ofsaid arm 71 is the center leg 72a of an inverted T-shaped member 72whose cross piece 73 (Fig. 3) forms an elongated slot 74. Through saidslot. two blocks 76 and 78 (Fig. 3) are adjustably secured in crossedrelationship to the cross piece 73 by a machine bolt 79. The blocks 76and 78 are identical in construction and are recessed at their crossedends, as indicated at 81. in order that holes 82 and 83 provided intheir free ends may have their center lines in the same transverseplane. Plates 84 and 86 are bolted to the upper and lower inner ends ofthe vanes 44 and 46, respectively. and have cylindrical pins 88 and 89welded to their inner edges. Said pins 88 and 89 project toward eachother beyond the lateral edges of their respective plates 84 and 86 andhave reduced end portions 91 and 92, respectively. which engage with theholes 82 and 83 in the blocks 76 and 78.

The bracket 51 (Fig. 2) is identical in construction with the bracket 49and is adjustably bolted to the tank 19 in the same manner as saidbracket 49. The upper end of the vane 46 is pivotally supported by thebracket 51 in a manner similar to that described for the mounting of theupper end of the vane 44 to the bracket 49, in that a cylindrical pin 96secured to the vane 46 is rotatably mounted in a block 97 adjustablybolted to the bracket 51. It should be noted that the two cylindricalsupporting pins secured at opposite ends of each vane 44 and 46 arearranged with their axes coincident in order that therewith. A squareplate 58 is bolted ill) said vanes may be oscillated about the axis ofsaid pins and that this pivotal axis will always lie tangent to an arcof the sector-shaped pattern as at points 93 of Fig. 9.

To drivingly connect the vanes 44 and 46 (Fig. 2) so that oscillation ofone vane will cause a similar oscillation of the other vane, a plate 101(Fig. 3) is bolted to the lower vane 44 adjacent its upper edge. A drivepin 102 is welded to the plate 101. and projects upwardly into slidingengagement with a central opening 103 in a cross head 104. Saidcrosshead is provided with two trunnions 106 and 108 that are journaledin a pair of spaced bearing blocks 109 and 111 bolted to the lower edgeof the upper vane 46.

To prevent low hanging branches from striking the air blast oscillators41 and 42 (Fig. l) and to prevent the leaves and twigs of said branchesfrom being stripped or knocked therefrom by the abrupt fore and aftmotion of said oscillators, a frustoconically shaped guard 99 is mountedon the rear portion of the pesticide solution tank 19 just forward ofthe header pipe 33 to hold all such branches and foliage out beyond thepath of said oscillators.

During practical performance the air blast oscillators 41 and 42 may berapidly fiappcd fore and aft of the spraying machine 10 by a drivemechanism 116 (Fig. 2) which is operatively associated with the rightground engaging wheel 12 of said spraying machine. The hub 117 of thewheel 12 is rotatably mounted on a horizontal stub axle 118 extendingoutwardly from a plate bracket 119 (Fig. 2) that is welded to the outerright side of the frame 11. The wheel hub 117 is formed with an inwardlyprojecting tube 121 (Fig. 5) that concentrically surrounds the outer endportion of the axle 118. An annular drive disc 122 is concentricallysecured to the inner end of the tube 121 and a continuous chain 123 isfastened in any desired manner to the periphery of said disc 122. Acircumferential flange 124 extends outwardly from the inner peripheraledge of the disc 122 to aid in properly securing the chain 123 to theperiphery of said disc.

Movement of the spraying machine over the ground rotates the drive disc122 whose rotary motion is transformed into an oscillating motion by abar-shaped crank 126, the shaft 127 of which is journalcd in a boss 128formed in the elbow of a bent arm 129 whose upper end 130 is pivoted tothe plate bracket 119 at 130a. The crankshaft 127 extends outwardly fromthe boss 128 and carries a sprocket wheel 131, that may be engaged withthe chain 123, upon appropriate movement of the arm 129. A pitman 134pivotally connects the crank 126 with the upper end of an arm 136 (Fig.2) that rises from and is secured to one end of a transverse shaft 137which is journaled in bearings 138, that are fastened to the frame 11 onopposite sides of the sprayer. A similar arm 139 is rigidly mounted onthe other end of the shaft 137. The upper end of arm 136 has a choice ofvertically spaced holes 141 each of which may selectively be engaged bythe wrist pin 142 of the connecting rod 134a to vary the amplitude ofoscillation of the arms 136 and 139 as imparted from the crank 126.Links 143 and 144 pivotally connect the upper ends of the levers 136 and139, respectively, through universal bearings 146a and 14621, with thelower vanes 44 and 44' of the air blast oscillating means 41 and 42 atpoints outwardly removed from their hinge rods 59 and 59, respectively.

The operation of the air blast oscillators 41 and 42 may be controlledfrom the forward portion of the spraying machine 10 by a rearwardlyextending rod 148 (Figs. 2 and 5) pivotally connected to an arm 149(Fig. 5) which passes through an opening 151 in the right side of thesprayer frame 11 and is rigidly secured to a vertical shaft 152pivotally mounted on the outer right side of said frame 11. A second arm153 is securely fastened to the shaft 152 adjacent its lower end andextends outwardly therefrom. A link 156 pivotally connects the outer endof said arm 153 by means of universal joints 157a and 157b,respectively, with the lower end 159 of the bent arrn 129 which carriesthe crank shaft 127.

From the above description it will be readily seen that when the rod 148is moved rearwardly in the direction of the arrow A (Fig. the arm 153secured to the shaft 152 will be rotated forwardly thus moving the arm129 counterclockwise (Fig. 5) about its pivot 130a. Thiscounterclockwise movement of the arm 129 brings the sprocket 131 intoengagement with the chain 123 secured around the periphery of the drivedisc 122, thereby operatively connecting the crank 126 with the groundwheel 12. As a result thereof the vanes 44, 44, 46 and 46' areoscillated as a vehicle rolls along the ground. Convcrsely, when the rod148 is moved forwardly the arm 153 will be rotated rearwardly, the bentarm 129 will pivot clockwise about the pivotal connection 130a and thesprocket 131 will be disengaged from the chain 123, thereby interruptingthe transmission of motion from the ground wheel 12 to the crank 126.Oscillation of the vanes 44, 44', 46 and 46' will, therefore, cease.

In operation, the spraying machine is drawn between parallel rows oftrees while it continuously emits a sectorshaped pesticidal air blast.When treating citrus trees and the like, said air blast is continuouslyand rapidly oscillated fore and aft of the machine by constantlyswinging the oscillators 41 and 42 fore and aft about their pivotalaxes. The oscillator drive mechanism 116 should be so designed that theoscillators 41 and 42 will swing through a number of cycles while thespraying machine moves over the ground a distance substantially equal tothe width of the trees or bushes being treated. The sprayer operator mayplace the air blast oscillators 41 and 42 in motion by pushing the rod148 (Fig. 5) rearwardly to cause the sprocket 131 to mesh with the chain123 whereupon said sprocket is rotated in the direction of the arrow Bby the drive disc 122 secured to the right ground wheel 12 which rotatesin the direction of the arrow C as the spraying machine travelsforwardly. This rotation of the sprocket 131 actuates the crank 126which causes longitudinal reciprocation of the connecting rod 134 and afore and aft oscillation of the levers 136 and 139 secured on th shaft137. The oscillatory movement of the levers 136 and 139 i transmitted bythe links 143 and 144 to the lower air blast oscillating vanes 44 and44' the oscillation of which cause the upper vanes 46 and 46 tooscillate in sympathy therewith due to their pin and cross headconnection at 52.

The amplitude of oscillation of the vanes 44, 46, 44' and 46' may bevaried by fastening the connecting pin 142 in different ones of theholes 141 in the lever 136. It will be noted that the closer to theshaft 137 the connecting pin is positioned the greater will be theamplitude or oscillation of the oscillator vanes 44, 46, 44' and 46.

The effect of this rapid fore and aft pivotal movement of the air blastoscillating means 41 and 42 upon the air blast issuing from the sprayingmachine 10 is shown diagrammatically in Figs. 6 through 8 in connectionwith the air blast oscillator 41 positioned at the right side of themachine. As the vanes of the oscillator 41 swing forwardly from theirneutral position, illustrated in Fig. 6, they progressively interceptand turn an increasingly larger part of that portion of the air blastwhich is forward of the oscillator 41 toward the front of the machine,until, when the vanes reach the forward limit of their swing,illustrated in Fig. 7, the forward portion of the air blast is deflectedtoward the front of the machine at an acute angle therewith and a regionof relatively stagnant air is formed between the front and rear portionsof the air blast, as shown at M in Fig. 7. Then as the oscillator 41swings rearwardly toward its neutral position (Fig. 6) it isprogressively withdrawn from its air blast intercepting position and theforward portion of the air blast turns rearwardly until said forwardportion of the air blast again discharges in a direction normal to thepath of the spraying machine. Further rearward pivoting of theoscillator 41 results in a rearward turning of the back portion of theair blast until the oscillator reaches its extreme rearwardly directedposition illustrated in Fig. 8, when the rear portion of the air blastis deflected toward the back of the machine at an acute angle therewithand a region of relatively stagnant air is again formed between thefront and rear portions of the air blast, as shown at N in Fig. 8. Thenthe oscillator 41 again swings forwardly toward its neutral positionallowing the rear portion of the air blast to turn forwardly, all in amanner similar to that explained above for the front portion of the airblast.

As will now be understood the uninterrupted swinging of the oscillators41 and 42 results in a continuous fore and aft oscillation of the airblast issuing from the discharge region 29 which causes the treebranches to sway back and forth and the leaves to flutter, thusseparating densely growing foliage and branches, and assuring completecoverage of the trees with pesticide. The positioning of the oscillators41 and 42 directly in the path of the air blast rather than to one sideor the other thereof results upon fore and aft swinging in theintermittent formation of an area of relatively stagnant air within theair blast, which aids in the separation and agitation of the treefoliage and branches.

While we have described a preferred embodiment of the present invention,it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be madein the details thereof without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what we claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

l. A mobile pesticide distributor adapted for movement past plants to betreated comprising means for creating and discharging an air blast in aplane extending transversely of the direction of travel of thedistributor, means for repeatedly oscillating said air blast toward andaway from the vertical centerline of each plant during the treatment ofeach plant, and means for introducing pesticide into said air blast.

2. A mobile pesticide distributing mechanism arranged to move along apredetermined path comprising means for creating and discharging an airblast, means for delivering pesticide to said air blast, and meansarranged to be driven by the motion of said distributing mechanism forsuccessively oscillating separate portions of said air blast, eachperiod of oscillation of the portions of said air blast being of equalduration.

3. An apparatus for distributing pesticide to plants comprising avehicle adapted for movement past said plants, means mounted on saidvehicle for forming an air blast and for discharging it in asector-shaped pattern normal to the direction of movement of saidvehicle, means for supplying pesticide to said air blast, an air blastdeflector pivotally mounted on said vehicle intermediate said air blastwith its pivotal axis arranged tangent to an arc of said sectoral airblast pattern, and means for oscillating said deflector about said axis,to alternately deflect different portions of said air blast relative toone another.

4. An apparatus for distributing pesticide to plants comprising avehicle adapted for movement past said plants, means mounted on saidvehicle for forming and discharging an air blast, said air blast formingand discharging means having a curved discharge opening lying in a planetransverse to the vehicle, a curved vane pivotally supported from saidvehicle within said air blast outwardly of and concentrically with saiddischarge opening, and means for oscillating said vane to alternatelydeflect different portions of said air blast relative to one another.

5. An apparatus for distributing pesticide to plants comprising avehicle adapted for movement past plants, means on said vehicle forforming and discharging an air blast laterally thereof, means forsupplying pesticide to said air blast, air blast deflecting meanspivotally mounted on said vehicle directly within the path of said airblast with its axis in a plane extending transversely of the directionof movement of the vehicle, and drive means operatively connected withsaid air blast deflecting means to cyclically oscillate said air blastdeflecting means through a plurality of cycles while the vehicle moves adistance substantially equal to the width of a plant.

6. Apparatus for distributing pesticide to plants comprising a vehicleadapted for movement past plants, means on said vehicle for forming anddischarging an air blast laterally thereof, said air blast being ofappreciable width in a direction longitudinally of said vehicle, meansfor supplying pesticide to said air blast, air blast deflecting meanspivotally mounted on said vehicle directly within the path of said airblast with its axis in a transverse plane bi-secting said air blast, andmeans operable to swing said air blast deflecting means about said axisin a direction fore and aft of the machine to oscillate the individualportions of said bi-sected air blast relative to each other.

7. A pesticide distributing mechanism comprising a vehicle adapted formovement past plants to be treated, means on said vehicle for creatingand discharging an air blast in a predetermined direction, means fordelivering a pesticide to said air blast, a pair of air blast deflectorspivotally mounted in end-to-end relationship on said frame to interceptsaid air blast, the pivotal axes of said deflectors being arranged at anangle with each other, means for oscillating one of said air blastdeflectors, and means drivingly interconnecting said deflectors to causeoscillation of the other of said deflectors upon oscillation of saidfirst mentioned deflector.

8. The method of applying pesticide to a plant which comprises directingan air blast against the plant, entraining pesticide in the air blast,splitting the air blast into two parts, temporarily interrupting onepart of the split air blast impinging against a first portion of theplant while the other said part of the air blast continues to strike asecond portion of the plant, and discontinuing interruption of said onepart of the air blast to resume impingement of the air blast againstboth of said portions of the plant.

9. The method of applying pesticide to a plant which comprises directingan air blast against the plant, entraining pesticide in the air blast,splitting the air blast into two parts, temporarily interrupting onepart of the split air blast impinging against a first portion of the rplant while the other said part of the air blast continues to strike asecond portion of the plant, discontinuing interruption of said one partof the air blast to resume impingement thereof against the plant,thereafter temporarily interrupting said other part of the air blastimpinging against said second portion of the plant while said one partof the air blast continues to strike said first portion of the plant,and then discontinuing inter- 8 ruption of said other part of the airblast to resume impingement of the air blast against both of saidportions of the plant.

10. An apparatus for distributing pesticide to plants comprising avehicle adapted for movement past plants, means on said vehicle forforming an air blast and discharging it laterally of the path of thevehicle, means for supplying pesticide to said air blast, air blastdeflecting means pivotally mounted on said vehicle with its axis in aplane extending transversely of the direction of movement or the vehicleand arranged to intercept and deflect said air blast, and driving meansoperatively connected with said air blast deflecting means to oscillatesaid air blast deflecting means through a plurality of cycles while thevehicle moves a distance substantially equal to the width of a plant,said deflecting means being arranged to cause the air blast to traversea substantial portion of the width of the plant twice during eachoscillation.

11. A pesticide distributing mechanism comprising a vehicle adapted formovement past plants to be treated, means on said vehicle for creatingand discharging an air blast in a predetermined direction, means fordelivering a pesticide to said air blast, a pair of air blast deflectorspivotally mounted on said frame to intercept said air blast and havingthe pivotal axes of said deflectors arranged at an angle with eachother, means for oscillating one of said air blast deflectors, and meansdrivingly interconnecting said deflectors to cause oscillation of theother of said deflectors upon oscillation of said first-mentioneddeflector.

12. A pesticide distributing vehicle adapted to bet drawn along a pathparallel to a row of plants, means on said vehicle for creating an airblast and for discharging it laterally of said vehicle, means fordelivering a pesticide to said air blast, air blast deflecting meanspivotally supported from said vehicle and disposed within said airblast, and oscillating means for repeatedly oscillating said air blastdeflecting means, said deflecting means being arranged to be driven bythe motion of said vehicle along its path to intermittently deflect aportion of said air blast relative to the remainder thereof and witheach oscillation being of equal duration.

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